It's Sunday and here’s a handpicked selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry.
But first, If your rent is too expensive, just live in a Netflix billboard instead. The streamer took viral marketing to the next level with a high-profile stunt that turned one of its billboards into a man’s living quarters.
CREATOR COMMOTION
Justice for Kurzgesagt.
Creators are battling AI accusations and joining dance competitions
The false positive: Someone has to tell YouTube that Kurzgesagt isn’t AI-generated. After seeing its view counts fluctuate, the iconic educational hub learned that YouTube’s automated systems had flagged Kurzgesagt as AI slop. As if animation channels didn’t have it hard enough already, now they’re turning up as false positives. Fortunately, YouTube has rectified the issue (at least for now).
The dance casting: John Nellis has been cast in the next season of Strictly Come Dancing. The U.S. doesn’t have a monopoly on influencer entrants in dance competition shows. After his soccer content helped him become one of YouTube’s most-watched creators during the World Cup, Nellis is taking up a spot on Britain’s version of Dancing With The Stars.
The web series: The AD of Obsession is directing a new vertical web series. After working on one of the year’s biggest hit films, Grayson Shapiro is directing Typecast, Sachin Kumar‘s upcoming project about the lives of Indian-American actors in Hollywood. You can catch new episodes of Typecast as they roll out on Instagram.
The Netflix deal: Move over, Amazing Digital Circus—another one of YouTube’s animated faves is coming to Netflix. When it comes to creator content, Netflix is proving to have an insatiable appetite. The streamer’s latest addition to its creator lineup is Monkey Wrench, an adult animation project that has developed an ardent fan base since its premiere in 2022.
BRANDS IN THE BIZ
Could you embody Geralt of Rivia?
Every brand from Jim Beam to Aeropostale is tapping into the creator economy
The creator program: Are you the next Geralt of Rivia? Join CD Projekt Red’s creator program. The Polish video game developer has delivered hit franchises like The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077. Now, it wants to reward the gamers who use that IP to tell immersive stories, so it is adding its name to the long list of companies that have launched creator programs.
The show slate: How do you get Gen Alpha excited to shop for clothes? If you’re Aeropostale, you team up with creators—including TikToker Deja Clark—to roll out a slate of creator shows. Aeropostale is a longtime partner of big-name creators, and it is continuing that work as it adapts to changing times.
The campus: Jim Beam is opening its own creator campus. The notable bourbon purveyor is inviting creators to visit its Clermont, Kentucky campus, where a brand new space will facilitate the production of original content. This seems like a perfect opportunity for someone to launch a boozy creator product, even if there’s all those stories about how the college kids don’t drink like they used to.
The network: ESPN’s latest creator partners will cover “The Year Of The Super Bowl.” ABC/ESPN has the broadcast rights for the next Super Bowl, and the Worldwide Leader in Sports plans to turn that event into a creator spectacle. By announcing its fourth Creator Network, ESPN is naming the names who will help it provide new perspectives during the upcoming NFL season.
CAN’T STOP THE BEAT
Paging Billboard: Ms. Rachel is releasing her first album.
Ms. Rachel is dropping an album and the Baby Shark kid is becoming a K-pop star
The album: Millions of fans consume Ms. Rachel’s educational family videos every day, and now they can spin her CD in their homes, too. On September 25, Ms. Rachel will drop I’m So Happy, which is filled with 23 plucky tracks. Rachel’s husband, Aron Accurso, co-produced the album alongside its star.
The K-pop star: He was in the Baby Shark video. Now he’s a K-pop star. When Park Geon Roung was seven, he was one of two child actors who appeared in the most-watched YouTube video of all time. Now, at age 17, Baby Shark parent company Pinkfong is helping Park make a star turn as he performs his very own K-pop single. According to Pinkfong, Park’s future activities will depend on the performance of the track.
The single: Like Nastya is having some success on the music charts, too. One of the world’s leading kidfluencers dropped a single called “I’m Gonna Shine,” and even though it’s only been out for three months, the toddlers are loving it. “I’m Gonna Shine” now has more than 100 million views on YouTube, proving that Like Nastya has plenty of appeal beyond her typical vlogs.
WATCH THIS 👀
Alix Earle is bringing the drama to Netflix.
Alix Earle is “just having fun” in the Earle Meets World trailer
The docuseries: Alix Earle is coming to Netflix. The TikTok it girl is the star of her own docuseries, and as you might imagine, it will be filled with drama.
When Earle Meets World arrives on Netflix in early September, the series will touch on Earle’s relationships with family, friends, and fellow influencers—at least if its new teaser is to be believed.
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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.